Embedded Computing Products, Editorials, and News Monthly October 2008

SystemTrace from ITCN, Inc.
Now there is an easy way to monitor, analyze and troubleshoot complex embedded systems that use VME and MIL-STD-1553 standards.  SystemTrace® STX is a new tool made for test and evaluation, system integration, data monitoring, maintenance and troubleshooting of complex embedded computer systems.  SystemTrace gives you a global view of your system, from beginning to end.

SystemTrace is a scalable, reconfigurable platform for instrumentation of system data streams. It is based on a network-centric architecture that combines unified controls, timing, and trigger features that results in seamless integration of multiple instrumentation units.

SystemTrace offers data monitoring using Real-Time Non-Intrusive (RTNI) techniques, so that the act of monitoring does not affect the system’s operation or interfere with the integrity of the data collected. The data collected from key data flow points are time-correlated, so dependencies on actions among different system elements can be easily observed.

You can easily program SystemTrace to gather multiple complex test scenarios simultaneously, in real time.  Test parameters and complex data collection scenarios, including pre- and post- event triggers, are programmed on a Windows® PC.  The SystemTrace’s user-friendly interface presents the data for analysis in tables or graphical format, or both.

The SystemTrace software interface allows you to:

  • Select specific modules to test.
  • Define data bus symbols.
  • Define the data collection scenario.
  • Define the action to take based on a monitored “event.”
  • Start and stop the test.
  • Retrieve or discard the collected data.
  • View selected parts of the collected data during test runs.
  • Analyze data in graphical presentations or tables.
  • Prepare reports for more detailed analysis.

Features

  • Time-correlated, RTNI, scalable, heterogeneous data collection.
  • Simultaneous monitoring of multiple data streams.
  • Modular, distributed architecture.
  • Long-term data acquisition storage.
  • Set-up and control tests via Ethernet TCP/IP.
  • Common user interface for all data streams.
  • Cross-module triggering.
  • Run-time data displays.
  • Bus health / loading statistics.
  • Complex state machine, triggers and filters.
  • Programmable data collection scenarios.
  • Multiple scenarios per session.
Benefits
  • The system-wide view of operations correlated in time aids analysis.
  • RTNI monitoring does not affect system operation during measurements, so it gives accurate results.
  • Supports the entire life-cycle of the embedded system, reducing instrumentation cost.
  • Common user interface for dissimilar targets saves time and training investment.
  • Collection of only “data of interest” allows for longer observation time and faster analysis because of the narrower focus of the collected data. 
  • Scalable architecture supports changing requirements. You can easily add more components for growing systems.
  • Remote monitoring capability makes monitoring tests quicker and easier, saving time and money.

Contact ITCN’s sales staff for more detailed information and specifications for the CMDS Tester or any of our test equipment and services.

Visit our website today for more detailed information about SystemTrace, and get a FREE copy of our new Guide to Synchronized Instrumentation!  www.itcn-test.com/FREEGUIDE  or call us toll-free at 800-439-4039.